Greencastle, Ind. - Maura Fitzgerald's two free throws with six seconds left secured DePauw's 55-50 North Coast Athletic Conference win over visiting Oberlin in a battle of two unbeaten teams. DePauw, ranked sixth in the latest coaches' poll and 10th by D3hoops.com, improved to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the NCAC, while the Yeomen dropped to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
In a game that featured 11 ties and 14 lead changes, Oberlin held its largest leads of the contest in the opening quarter at 13-9 and 15-11. The Yeowomen led, 15-13, at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second, DePauw scored eight straight with the final four coming from Isabella Ogliore to give the Tigers a 23-17 lead with 4:40 left in the half. Oberlin returned the favor by closing the second with an 8-0 run to take a 25-23 lead into the halftime intermission.
Grace Kinsey, Campbell Montgomery and Maeve Summerville each hit baskets in the opening 2:05 of the third to give DePauw a 29-25 advantage. Oberlin regained the lead at 35-33 on Gina Lombard's 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining in the third, but DePauw put together a 9-2 stretch to go back out in front, 42-37. Sammy Spanier's trey with 11 seconds left in the third trimmed the Tigers' lead to 45-42.
Oberlin briefly took the lead in the fourth on Bryana Woodard's layup in the opening minute, but Summerville came right back with a three to put the Tigers ahead by two. After the Yeowomen knotted the contest at 45-45, Summerville knocked down another three with 6:44 left before Lombard hit a trey to even the count at 48-48.
Kinsey hit two buckets which sandwiched an Oberlin shot clock violation to give DePauw a 52-48 lead with 2:45 remaining. Lombard countered with a layup with 2:27 left which would be the final field goal of the contest.
Neither team scored until 19 seconds remained as the Tigers kept a possession alive with two offensive rebounds before Mya Shannon was fouled and hit one of two free throws to make it 53-50. Lombard missed on a shot from beyond the arc with 11 seconds remaining, Shannon rebounded it and got it in the hands of Fitzgerald who was fouled and drained the two charity tosses.
Summerville scored a career-high 16 points and shared DePauw's rebounding honors with Montgomery as each grabbed seven. Kinsey added 12 points and three assists in the win. Alyson Jefferson paced Oberlin with 17 points with Lombard adding 10. Camille Zinaich grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and dished out four assists.
The Tigers shot 31.7 percent from the floor to Oberlin's 34.5 percent, but had a 46-38 rebounding edge which resulted in a 9-4 advantage in second-chance points.
DePauw returns to action on Sunday, December 19, with a 5 p.m. game against Messiah at the St. Pete Classic in St. Petersburg, Fla.